An automated apparatus can provide pre-analytical processing of samples, racking and forwarding to an adjacent analyzer for analysis. The apparatus may have a controller that implements an auto-learn process to teach robotic handlers the locations within the workspace(s) of the apparatus. A robotic sample handler may include a sensor configured to generate a detection signal when in a near vicinity of a fiducial beacon in the workspace of the apparatus for biological sample preparation, preprocessing and/or diagnostic assay performed by one or more analyzers of the automated apparatus. The controller may control the robotic sample handler to conduct a search pattern so that a location of the fiducial beacon may be detected and thereafter calculated to obtain a more accurate location of the beacon. The calculated positions may then serve as a basis for the controlled movement of samples by the robot to and from locations of the workspace.

A conveying device (100) for a sample rack manipulation apparatus (10). The conveying device (100) is suitable for conveying, between a loading/unloading area (TA), a sampling area (TD) and a buffer area (TC) of the sample rack manipulation apparatus (10), a sample rack (30) containing sample containers (20); the conveying device (100) is provided with an identifier code reading device, the identifier code reading device being suitable for reading an identifier code of the sample rack (30) and identifier codes of the sample containers (20) on the sample rack (30) when the sample rack (30) is loaded from the loading/unloading area (TA) to the conveying device (100). The present disclosure further relates to a sample rack manipulation apparatus (10) comprising the conveying device (100) and an automatic detection system (1) comprising the sample rack manipulation apparatus (10).

A method and device for handling supports which support biological cell cultures or auxiliary agents for treatment of biological cell cultures, using one or more modules, at least one of which is a handling device. Each one of a plurality of supports rests with its edges on support elements, and, depending on the type of supports or the type of auxiliary means supported thereby, the supports require different storage heights, some of which are greater than one or more times a standardized vertical spacing of the support elements. The supports have an information carrier, the information of which can be read by a reading device and can be evaluated by a computing device. For optimal use of the compartments of the storage device, the information contains details about the storage height of the support in question and the handling of the supports is performed using these details.

A conveyor assembly for transporting a carrier coupled to a receptacle to a processing station located within a housing of an instrument. The conveyor assembly includes a spur conveyor subassembly and a buffer conveyor subassembly for transporting the carrier from a host conveyor assembly to the spur conveyor subassembly. The spur conveyor subassembly includes (i) a rotatable diverter having at least one recess for receiving and moving the carrier between the buffer conveyor subassembly and the spur conveyor subassembly and (ii) a gripper configured to grasp the carrier and move it from the diverter to the processing position located within the housing of the instrument.

To provide an automatic analyzer with no need to control a residual amount of a quality control sample. An automatic analyzer includes an input unit which receives a container including a specimen and a quality control sample, an ID reader which reads ID attached to the container, a control unit which assigns measurement items to the ID and controls each unit, and an analysis unit which dispenses the specimen and the quality control sample from the container and performs analysis based on the measurement items, in which when a liquid amount of a first container including the quality control sample is not enough, the control unit assigns measurement items not yet performed, of measurement items assigned to ID of the first container, to ID of a second container including the quality control sample and controls the analysis unit to perform analysis.

A conveyor assembly for transporting a carrier coupled to a receptacle to a processing station located within a housing of an instrument. The conveyor assembly includes a spur conveyor subassembly and a buffer conveyor subassembly for transporting the carrier from a host conveyor assembly to the spur conveyor subassembly. The spur conveyor subassembly includes (i) a rotatable diverter having at least one recess for receiving and moving the carrier between the buffer conveyor subassembly and the spur conveyor subassembly and (ii) a gripper configured to grasp the carrier and move it from the diverter to the processing position located within the housing of the instrument.

An automated conveyor assembly for transporting a carrier coupled to processing receptacle from (i) a carrier conveyor assembly to (ii) a processing position within an instrument, where the automated conveyor assembly includes a gripper configured to selectively grasp a carrier and move between (i) a first position and (ii) the processing position in the instrument. The automated conveyor assembly further includes a diverter defining a recess configured to receive a carrier, the diverter being rotatable between (i) a first position at which the recess is aligned with the carrier conveyor assembly and (ii) a second position at which the recess is aligned with the first position of the gripper.

A method of reading machine-readable marks on a movable support and object of a sample instrument. The method includes capturing a first image of the moveable support as the moveable support moves from a first position to a second position using an image capture device; determining whether a first fiducial machine-readable mark on the moveable support is in the first image; determining, when the first fiducial machine-readable mark is in the first image, whether a first machine-readable mark on a first object coupled to the moveable support is in the first image at a predetermined position relative to the first fiducial machine-readable mark; and associating information decoded from the first machine-readable mark on the first object with a first location on the moveable support associated with the first fiducial machine-readable mark.

An automatic analyzer with high processing capacity is capable of immediately measuring an emergency specimen rack. The automatic analyzer includes a conveying line for conveying a specimen rack, and an analysis unit which has a dispensing line in which a plurality of specimen racks are arranged for waiting until sample dispensing, and a sampling area for dispensing the sample to the analysis unit. A rack save area is provided in the dispensing line and at a position adjacent to the upstream side of the sampling area. When a specimen rack exists in the sampling area at the time of measuring an emergency specimen rack, a controller moves the specimen rack to the save area and positions the emergency specimen rack to be moved from a downstream side of the sampling area to the sampling area.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic analysis device capable of efficiently performing a plurality of analyses, while reducing the footprint and cost of the device. Provided is an automatic analysis device characterized by being provided with containers for containing samples, one rack for placing the containers thereon, and a control unit, the control unit generating, with respect to the one rack, a plurality of registration patterns in which information of the positions where the containers are disposed, and information of the samples contained in the containers are correlated with each other, storing the registration patterns thus generated, applying, to the one rack, one registration pattern selected from among the registration patterns thus stored, and analyzing the samples. Also provided is an analysis method using the device.